Fluorescent light fixture



E. F. ZURAWSKI FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Nov. 20, 1962 Filed Aug. 1, 1958 Nov. 20,- 1962 F. ZURAWSKI 3,065,343 FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Aug. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (golwa/nd Q37 United States Patent Oflfice 3,065,343 FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE Edward F. Zurawski, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Garey Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 752,528 3 Claims. (Cl. Mil-51.11)

The present invention relates to a fluorescent light fixture, and is particularly concerned with means for securing the sockets and the wiring channel in the fixture.

Fluorescent light fixtures generally comprise a chassis having a wiring channel extending longitudinally of the reflector, and a pair of sockets for each fluorescent light tube to be mounted in the fixture. The securementof the wiring channel and the sockets to the reflector has heretofore required the use of a considerable number of small screws that added considerable cost to any sizable installation because of the necessity of securing the multiplicity of screws in place individually.

in accordance with the present invention a preformed socket holder is secured to the chassis adjacent each end thereof by a single screw. One end of the wiring channel and two sockets are snapped into place in each socket holder, and are resiliently held against accidental displacement. In fixtures designed for four fluorescent light tubes, two socket holders are secured in laterally spaced relationship adjacent each end of the chassis and each end of the wiring channel is secured between two socket holders. Although the wiring channel and the sockets are securely held against accidental displacement, any of them may be readily removed from the holders.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FlG. 1 is a cross sectional view through a fixture embodying the invention, showing the socket holder and one sock t in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a socket holder with one socket in place and an end portion of a fluorescent light tube mounted in the socket;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

PEG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 4 of P16. 1; 1G. 5 is a front perspective view of the socket holder;

PEG. 6 is a rear perspective view;

FiG. 7 is a plan View of the blank from which the socket holder is formed;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of the blank shown in H6. 7;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational View of the socket holder;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line lii1ill of FIG. 9; and

PEG. 11 is an end elevational view showing a socket being positioned in the socket holder.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a chassis for a fluorescent light fixture comprising a flat top plate 3 and depending walls 4 terminating in inturned flanges 5. A diffuser plate 6 extending across the bottom of the chassis below the lights is secured to flanges 5 in any suitable manner. Flat plate 3, which comprises the top of the fixture, is provided with apertures '7 for receiving screws or bolts 8 each of which is adapted to secure a socket holder 9 to the chassis. In fixtures adapted to house two fluorescent light tubes, at single socket holder is secured to each end of the chassis, and in fixtures adapted to house four fluorescent light 3,fifi5,343 Patented Nov. 20, 1952 tubes two socket holders are secured to each end of the chassis. Each socket holder 9 is secured to the chassis by a single screw or bolt 8 adjacent each end of the socket holder.

Socket holder 9 is formed from a flat blank 10 to provide openings 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, as shown in FIG. 7. Opening 11 is for screw or bolt 8 by means of which the socket holder is secured to chassis 2. Openings l2 and 13 provide passageways for the wiring. Openings 14 and 15 are duplicates of each other, and are located adjacent opposite ends of blank 10 in horizontal alignment. Each opening 14 and 15 is shaped to form two vertically extending stems 16 and 17 projecting into the opening. Stem 16 has a finger 18 projecting laterally from one edge and a lip 19 projecting laterally from its opposite edge. Stem 17 has a finger Ztl and a lip 21 projecting laterally from its opposite edges. All of the fingers and lips are in horizontal alignment.

Blank 10 is formed by bending it at right angles along three parallel lines to form horizontal panels 22, 23 and vertical panels 24, 25. Panel 22, which contains opening 11, is the uppermost panel and is adapted to fit flush against the underside of plate 3 of the chassis to which it is secured by a single screw or bolt 8. Panel 25 fits flush against the back wall 26 of the chassis, and panels 23 and 24 cooperate with the rear end portion of plate 3 and the upper portion of back wall 26 to form a transverse passageway 27 for wires 28 extending from sockets 29 supported in holder 9 in a manner hereinafter described. Wires 28 extend downwardly through opening 12 and outwardly through opening 13 at one end of the fixture.

A wiring channel 29' (FIG. 1) extending longitudinally of the chassis provides a reflecting surface, and also conceals the wiring that extends longitudinally of the chassis. Channel 29' also conceals the ballast and starter, which are conventional to all fluorescent fixtures, and are not shown in the drawings. Channel 29 has two upwardly extending side walls 30, each of which is provided with an opening 31 adjacent each end. The width of channel 29' between side walls .30 is slightly greater than the lateral distance between the end of lips 19 which extend toward each other in the plane of panel 24.

Channel 29' is secured in place by pressing side walls 3% toward each other and passing each end of the channel between lips 19 until openings 31 are aligned with the ends of the lips. The side walls are then released from the pressure urging them toward each other, and the resilience of the metal causes the walls to snap into engagement with the lips which project into openings 31 to hold channel 29 securely in place. The channel may be removed from the fixture by forcing side walls 30 inwardly far enough to cause the holes 31 to clear the ends of lips 19 and then pulling the channel outwardly from lips 19.

In fixtures designed for four fluorescent tubes, two socket holders 9 are secured to each end of the channel in laterally spaced relation so that the lateral distance between lips 21 extending toward each other from ad jacent holders is the same as the lateral distance between lips 19 of one socket holder. Accordingly, a channel 29 may be secured between two adjacent socket holders in a four-lamp fixture in the same manner as it is secured centrally of a two-lamp fixture. In either fixture the channel is securely held against accidental displacement and may be easily removed when desired.

Stems 16 and i7 depend below the line of bend between panels 23 and 24 and are coplanar with panel 24 so that each of fingers 18, 2t and lips 19, 21 overlie panel 25. Panel 25 is parallel to panel 24, and is formed stamped overlie the socket.

by bending blank 1% along one edge of panel 23. Fingers l3 and 2 are ofiset, as indicated at 32, in a common plane parallel to and between the planes of panels 24 and 25. Each socket 29 has a thickness slightly less than the perpendicular distance between panels 24 and 25, as indicated by depth of panel 23, which extends between panels 24 and 25. Each socket 29 may he slid freely between panels 24 and 25. When socket 29 is being slid between panels 24 and 25 it may be moved into engagement with one offset 32, and forced against the offset to raise the adjacent finger 13 or 2t), so that the socket may be positioned between the finger 13 or 26 and panel 25. The finger 18 or 26 will press resiliently against the inner surface of the socket. The other finger of the pair may then be lifted manually, as indicated in FIG. 11, to permit the socket to be moved into position between two adjacent fingers is, 20 and panel 25. The inner surface of the socket is recessed adjacent each edge, as indicated at 33, to conform to the surface area of the portion of each finger adapted to The socket is then slid between the resilient fingers 18, 2d and panel 25 until each of the fingers moves into registration with one of the recesses.

The resilience of the fingers causes them to snap into the respective recesses 33 as soon as said registration is achieved. The recesses are deep enough to prevent the fingers from being accidentally displaced therefrom, but are shallow enough for the recessed portions to be held firmly by frictional engagement with the fingers. Whenever a socket is positioned in holder 9 with its recesses engaged by a pair of fingers 18 and 20, the socket is in position to receive prongs 34 of a fluorescent light tube 35. Any socket 29 may be removed from the holder 9 by manually lifting either finger 18 or Ztl in engagement therewith, and sliding the socket out of engage ment with the other finger.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed, without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction described.

I claim:

1. In a fluorescent light fixture, a socket holder comprising a pair of parallel panels spaced from each other by a third panel integral with said parallel panels, and a socket positioned between said parallel panels, one of said parallel panels having a plurality of pairs of laterally aligned resilient fingers overlying said other parallel panel, said socket having a thicknessslightly less than the distance between said parallel panels, opposite edge portions of the surface of said socket adjacent said first mentioned panel having recesses shaped to fit said fingers, said fingers being offset toward said second mentioned panel, one pair of fingers being engageable with said recesses at opposite edge portions of said socket to hold said socket firmly against said second mentioned panel.

2. In a fluorescent light fixture, a chassis having a fiat top plate, a socket holder comprising a first panel adapted to fit flush against said top plate, means for securing said first panel to said top plate, a second panel extending perpendicularly from one edge of said first panel, a plurality of stems extending from said second panel in coplanar relationship thereto, a third panel extending perpendicularly from said second panel, a fourth panel extending perpendicularly from said third panel, and a plurality of laterally aligned fingers projecting from said stems, said fourth panel and said fingers being disposed on the same side of the plane of said third panel, whereby said fingers may cooperate with said fourth panel to hold sockets therebetween firmly against accidental displacement.

3. A fluorescent light fixture comprising a chassis, a plurality of socket holders each secured to said chassis by means of a single screw, said socket holders each having a fiat panel, a plurality of pairs of: laterally aligned resilient fingers, the fingers of each pair extending toward each other from separate laterally spaced stems and spaced from said panel, said fingers being engageable with .a socket to press it against said panel, a lip extending in the opposite direction from each of said stems, each of said lips being laterally aligned with said fingers, and a wiring channel disposed longitudinally of said chassis, said wiring channel having side walls provided with an opening adjacent each end, said lips being selectively engageable with the openings in said side walls to help support said wiring channel on said chassis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Staklhut Aug. 30, 1960 

